1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments for fastening body tissue and, more particularly, to a powered surgical instrument having a firing rod configured to be movable and rotatable to affect rotation, articulation and actuation of portions of the instrument.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical devices wherein tissue is grasped or clamped between opposing jaw structure and then joined by surgical fasteners are well known in the art. In some instruments, a knife is provided to cut the tissue which has been joined by the fasteners. The fasteners are typically in the form of surgical staples but two-part polymeric fasteners can also be utilized.
Instruments for this purpose may include two elongated members which are respectively used to capture or clamp tissue. Typically, one of the members carries a staple cartridge that houses a plurality of staples arranged in at least two lateral rows while the other member has an anvil that defines a surface for forming the staple legs as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge. Several instruments include clamps, handles and/or knobs to affect actuation along with rotation and articulation of an end effector. Generally, the stapling operation is effected by cam bars that travel longitudinally through the staple cartridge, with the cam bars acting upon staple pushers to sequentially eject the staples from the staple cartridge. Such stapling devices can be used in open as well as endoscopic and/or laparoscopic surgical procedures.
It would be extremely beneficial to provide a powered surgical device for use during surgical procedures that can utilize a new and improved mechanism for articulating and/or actuating the tool tip to automate the stapling process.